Mattress border programmer



July 6, 1965 c. L. FRASIER MATTRESS BORDER PROGRAMMER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed Jan. 29, 1964 INVENTOR. 12222! I j'aizbr BY MM YW flrry:

July 6, 1965 c. L. FRASIER 3,193,164

MATTRESS BORDER PROGRAMMER Filed Jan. 29, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 y v1965c. L. FRASIER 3,193,16

MATTRE S S BORDER PROGRAMMER Filed Jan. 29, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 70Pl/OTOCIZL 4L 7 TOMA/1W6? 11-4-6- 7P2 TOP/20706511 66' To an? cm/vpm 501[/V/ODS of the shorter ends of the completed cover 14. "18 are spacedalong the strip so as to provide convenient gripping points spaced alongthe longer sides of the 3,193,164 MATTRESS BORDER PROGRAMMER Curtis L.Frasier, Rye, N.H., assignor to The Morley Company, Portsmouth, N.H., acorporation of Maine Filed Jan. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 340,979 14 Claims.(Cl. 227-) This invention relates to apparatus for handling beddingmaterials and more particularly to apparatus for measuring, cutting andapplying appropriately spaced handles to an elongate strip of mattressborder material. Objects of the invention are to provide an apparatusfor drawing mattress border material from a supply thereof, atappropriate measured intervals applying handles thereto which will thenserve as convenient means for handling the completed mattress, and afterdrawing an appropriate length for a complete mattress border thencutting off the strip. Further objects are to provide such an apparatuswhich may be quickly and easily adapted for mattresses of differentsizes and configurations, and having ditferent numbers and locations ofhandles. Still further objects are to provide such apparatus which iscapable of fully automatic operation so as to continuously providecompleted border strips, which is exceptionally simple and reliable inoperation, and which operates to close tolerances, that is, the spacingsof the handles and the length of the completed strip are accuratelydetermined.

In order to avoid inaccuracies caused by slippage, the inventioncontemplates the use of a length measuring wheel in contact with theborder material separate from the driving or pulling wheels, whichmeasuring wheel drives and controls a programming device having readilyinterchangeable programs. In a particular embodiment the programs are inthe form of discs which have circumferentially disposed transparentareas which cooperates with associated light sources with photo electriccontrollers to initiate and control the various components of the striphandling apparatus.

In another aspect, the invention contemplates means for driving themeasuring wheel directly from the pulling wheel when the pulling wheelis disengaged from the strip, so that programs of different lengths canbe re- I turned to their respective initial positions without passingand thus wasting strip material.

For the purpose of illustration, a preferred embodiment of the inventionis shown in the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a completedmattress border strip,

FIG. 2 is a complete mattress cover,

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of a mattress border programmer and amattress handle press,

FIG. 4 is a top view of the programmer, 7 FIG. 5 is a side view of theprogrammer showing the side from which the border material strip enters,and

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the programmer control circuitry.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows, for illustration, acompleted mattress border 10 ready' for assembly with appropriate facepanels 12, so as to form a complete mattress cover 14 as illustrated inFIG. 2. As may be seen from FIG. 1 in which the corners are marked bybroken lines 16, the border strip is cut so that the closing seam willbe located at the midpoint of one Handles completed mattress. Preferablythe corners 16 are, in fact, physically marked during the processing ofthe strip 10 so that alignment with the corners of the face panels '12is facilitated during assembly of the cover 14.

The apparatus according to the invention for programming the stepsnecessary to provide the strip 10 United States Patent 0 shown in FIG.1, is illustrated in FIGURES 3-6. In FIG. 3 the programming apparatus isshown in association with a press 20 for applying mattress handles 18 toa strip 24 of border material. The press 20 is preferably of the typedisclosed in detail in Patent 3,064,264 issued November 20, 1962, toClayton S. Spinney and entitled Mattress Handle Press. As illustrated inFIGS. 3-5 the programmer and strip puller are in a combined unit 22 witha cutter or knife for dividing the continuous strips into appropriatelengths. The knife 75 is driven by a double-acting air cylinder 77,which is in turn controlled by a conventional solenoid air valve 78.

A continuous strip 24 of border material is pulled by a pair of drivenrollers 26 and 28, which engage the strip near its edges and are drivenby a suitably geared down electric motor 30. The motor is internallyequipped with an electric brake. The strip is held in engagement withthe driven rolls 26 and 28 by corresponding idler rolls 32 and 33, whichare mounted on a slidable bracket 35 and are controllably urged upwardlyby an air cylinder 36. The strip 24 is drawn from left to right asviewed in FIG. 3 and just upstream from the driven roll 28 is ameasuring wheel 38. The strip material 24 is held in engagement with themeasuring wheel 38 by a corresponding idler 40 which is mounted by meansof brackets 42 on the bracket 35 so as to be controllably urged upwardwith the idlers 32 and 33 which cooperate with the driven roll.

A worm 44 on the shaft of the measuring wheel 38 drives a pinion gear46. The pinion 46 is connected through shaft 48 to a turntable 50. Theturntable 50 has a central hub 52 and an eccentric locating pin 54 andis adapted to carry a program disc 56 in the mannerof a phonographrecord. The program disc 56 is provided with three circumferentiallydisposed tracks which include various transparent areas 60 and 61 in theform of small spots 60 or circumferential lines 61. These transparentareas may be either apertures through an opaque disc 56 or the disc maybe constructed of a transparent material with an opaque coating which islocally omitted so as to define the transparent areas. It should beunderstood that the location of the transparent areas around the trackswill be determined not only by the time sequence of the operationsperformed but also the location of the various operatinginstrumentalities along the strip path.

Each of the three tracks represents one information channel and passesbeneath a corresponding photocell 65-67. A light source or lamp 70 ispositioned on the opposite side of the disc 56 from the photocells sothat when an aperture 60 or 61 passes beneath a photocell, thatphotocell will detect a light signal. These signals are employed tooperate the various components of the apparatus in their propersequence. As will be readily understood, the spacing of the variousoperations along the strip will be very precisely defined since themeasurement is obtained by means of an undriven wheel directly incontact with this strip which is not as subject to slippage as is awheel, such as 28, which is pulling the strip.

As the apparatus is intended to produce borders of different length,which will hence require programs of varying length, the invention alsocontemplates means for driving the program disc 56 independently of thestopping of the border material 24 at the completion of a border 10 sothat the program can be returned to its initial position after eachindividual border is completed. In the embodiment illustrated anintermediate transfer roller is provided which can be introduced betweenthe driven roller 28 and the measuring wheel 38. This roller 80 ismounted on an arm 82, pivoted concentrically with the driven rolls 28and an extension 84 on the arm 82 bears on the bracket 35 so as to causethe roller 80 to relay RYl and to the timer motor 114.

whenever the idlers 32,33 and 40 are lowered by the air L cylinder 36,releasing the strip -24.

The motor 30 is equipped with an electric brake and,

is stopped for the application of a handle.' During such a stop, theidlers 32, 33 and 40 are left in firm engagement with the strip so thatno slippage will occur between the strip .24 and the measuring andprogram driving wheel 38.

Since the program disc 56 will not be moving during the application of ahandle, some othermeans is necessary to time the duration of the pause.FIGURE 6 illustrates circuitry appropriate for timing such a pauseinresponse to a signal fromione of the photocells that the strip is in aposition appropriateforreceiving a handle. With reference to thisschematic, the various switches andrelaysshown therein are illustratedas being'in their normal condition, that is with the motor 30 running 7and the motor strip advancing priorvto' afsignal from the photocell. Inthis state, electric power from the supply mains 110 and 112 is providedto the motor 30 through the normally closed side of timercontacts TCZ.

In response to a transparent area inthe first track on the program disc56, photocell relay PRIis'energiZed in conventional manner. The closingby photocell 65 of the contacts of the relay -PR1 supplies power to atimer motor 114 through the normally closed side. of timer contacts TC3and also to the coil of a holding relay RY2. Theclosingof the contactsof the relay-RY2 completes a holding circuit through timer contacts TCl,so that even if photocell relay PR1 is closed only momen tarily, currentcontinues tojbe available to the .coil of noted that the actuation ofthe photocell relay PR1 does not immediately, stop the motor since themotoradraws its power directly from the line .11 0 through the timer Icontacts T C2. Therefore, the'program disc 56;.continue8 to rotate andthe aperture inthe program disc which initiated the operation of thetimer will pass out fiom under the photocell 65. Because of the holdingcircuit, however, the timer continues to; run and after a short delaythe timer contacts TC1,,TC2 and T C3 are actuated 'as a cam follower 115comes off the lobe 116 on timing cam 118. The 1 switching of thesecontacts removes power fromthe motor 30 and applies powerto its brakethrough timer contacts TCZ. The strip 24 and the program disc 56 thuscome toya stop. Simultaneously,

the holding circuit is allowedto collapse, by the opening of thenormally closed side of relay contacts TC1;while, however, power isapplied directly to the timer motor 114 through the' closing. of thenormally open; side of timer contactsTCS.

from the timer motor 114 by the opening of the normally opened side ofthe timer contacts TC3. Since the holding circuit has previously beenallowed to collapse andisince the photo cell relay CR1 is no longeractuated, the timer motor 114 must then stop. The speed of rotation"ofthe cam 118 is chosen so'that one revolution thereof provides tionsof the mattress handle press itself may be controlled by'additional camsdriven by the timing motor .114. At the'end of the cycle power is, ofcourse, removed from the brake and'reapplied to the motor 30 so that thetions can be initiated by the program disc 56. i

cornersof'the rectangular faces 12 of the mattress cover.

The border strip 24-need.-'not bestopped for this pur- --pose,---and inFIGURE 6 photocell relay PR2, which ,is

It shouldv be 1 I clairn: I In combination with a mechanism foroperating on ,st'rip material, apparatus comprising .means for feedingstrip material ,along a predetermined pathja measuring controlledbyphotocell 66, is shown as controlling the marker directly. r

The third trackin from the periphery of the disc 56 is employed tomeasurethe overall length of each border strip and tooperate the cut-offknife 75 correspondingly. The motor 30 is not stopped at the end of eachstrip as it is during the application handles, but rather the motion ofthe strip 24 is stopped by withdrawing the idlers '32, 33 and fromengagement with the strip. The knife 75' is' operated simultaneouslywith the lowering of the idlers'and in FIGURE 6 photocell relay PR3,which is controlled byphotocell 67, is shown'as controlling the aircylinders 36 and 77 directly. With the lowering of the idlers, thetransfer -roller 80 islowered into engagethe disc corresponding to thecut-off point to thatlcorresponding to the beginning of the programAccordingly the 'photocellprelay PR3, which operates the cut-off knife75 and stops the movement of the strip 24 by lowering the idlerswillremainenergized and will therefore maintain the transfer'roller"80in'enga'gement with the measuring wheel 38 until the: start of theprogram is again brought under the photocelland a new border strip canbe begun.

While a preferred embodiment hasbeen disclosed by I sway ofillustration, it: should be understood that the in vention includes allmodifications and equivalents falling within the scope of 'the appendedclaims;

' wheel in engagement withthe strip; and programming 9; in ans,driven'by saidmeaSureingwheeI and operative at spaced intervals tostopvsaid feed means and "initiate operationof said mechanism' andthento restart said feed The timer will continue torun until the cam 118 hasturned through afull revolution and :withdrawspovver 7 a suitableinterval for the operation of the mattress handle I press 20. Further,if so desired, the sequence of operamattress border strip 24 proceedsand subsequent opera-' means. I g 7 2. In combination with a mechanismfor operating'on strip, material, apparatus comprising: 7 means forfeeding strip material along a predetermined path; a program carryinginformation defining the desired sequence and 7 spacing ofoperations onsuch strip; means, driven by said strip, for advancing said'program; andmeans, responsive to j the information advanced, for stopping saidfeedmeans and initiating .the'operation of said mechanism.

3. Apparatus according to claim"2, including means,

operative at the. end :of a program, for returning, the

program to its start? position.

4. Apparatus according, to claim 2 .includingtimer means for restartingsaid feed means a predetermined interval after the initiation ofoperation of ,saidmechm-1": 5. Apparatus according to claim 2. in whichsaid program is a disc and theinformation is, defined byoptically;transparentportionsthereof. 1 1

;Apparatus for preparing'mattress borders comprising: means for drawingborder strip mat erial along a ;p.redetermined path; a pressforgapplyingmattress handles to thestrip upstream from said drawingmeans; aimelasuring Wheel in -,engage ment,,wit-h said strip upstreamfrom said drawing means;.a program disc drivenby said measuring wheel,said dischaving a circumferential band containing transparent areasrepresenting the ,desired locationof handles on a mattress border strip;a photocell;

a lamp forillurriinating said photocell through saiddisc;

' and means,responsive to signals from said photocelhfor I stoppingsaididrawin'g means, initiating'operation of said press and then,restarting said feed means. 7

7. Apparatus forpreparing fmattress borders comprising: means fordrawing border strip material from a continuous source along apredetermined path; a press for applying mattress handles to the stripupstream from said drawing means; means for severing said stripdownstream from said drawing means; a measuring wheel in engagement withsaid strip upstream from said drawing means; a program disc driven bysaid measurinig wheel, said disc having circumferential trackscontaining transparent areas representing the desired length of theborder and the location of handles thereupon: a plurality of photocells;a lamp for illuminating said photocells through the said disc; andmeans, responsive to signals from said photoeells, for stopping saiddrawing means at spaced intervals and initiating operation of said presswhile said strip is so stopped and for operating said severing means toseparate a completed mattress border from said continuous strip.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 including timer means for restartingsaid feed means a predetermined interval after the initiation ofoperation of said press.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 including means for returning saidprogram disc to its start position after the completion of a mattressborder independently of the movement of said strip.

10. Apparatus according to claim '7 in which said drawing means involvesa drive wheel and an idler Wheel for pinching the strip therebetween,and in which said idler is retracted simultaneously with the operationof said severing means.

11. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which said drawing means includesa drive roll and an idler roll for pinching the strip therebetween andwhich further comprises means for retracting said idler simultaneouslyWith the operation of said severing means and maintaining said idler inretracted position until said program disc is returned to its startposition.

'12. Apparatus operative through recurrent cycles to Work on a strip ofmattress material as it feeds along a predetermined path, cyclic meansoperative during each cycle, said means including means for feeding thestrip a predetermined length, means for severing the length and meansfor attaching mattress handles to the length, actuating means driven bythe strip, and means controlled by said actuating means foroperatingsaid cyclic means in predetermined timed relationship and rendering thefeeding means inoperative at the end of each cycle.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said actuating meanscomprises two rollers for pinching the strip therebetween and means forretracting one roller to relieve the pinching action.

14. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein each of said feeding meansand actuating means comprises a pair of rollers for pinching the striptherebetween and means for retracting one roller of each pair to relievethe pinching action.

No references cited.

GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, In, Primary Examiner.

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A MECHANISM FOR OPERATING ON STRIP MATERIAL,APPARATUS COMPRISING: MEANS FOR FEEDING STRIP MATERIAL ALONG APREDETERMINED PATH; A MEASURING WHEEL IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE STRIP; ANDPROGRAMMING MEANS, DRIVEN BY SAID MEASURING WHEEL AND OPERATIVE ATSPACED INTERVALS TO STOP SAID FEED MEANS AND INITIATE OPERATION OF SAIDMECHANISM AND THEN TO RESTART SAID FEED MEANS.